Improvement in toy automatic swimmers



F. EATO Toy Automatic Swimmers.

Patented June 24 A M PHUTG L TH 0 GRAPH/C 80. N X, lI-SBORNEIS PROCESS. I

PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC F. EATON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO OF SAME PLACE.

ALBERT D. DAVIS,

IMPROVEMENT IN TOY AUTOMATIC SWIMMERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 140,259, dated J one 24, 1873; application filed November 25, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC F. EATON, of the city, county, and State of New York, have in-' vented an Improved Swimming Automaton, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to toys for children; and the invention consists in the production of a swimming automaton, as a new'and improved article of manufacture, and has for its object a pleasing and instructive toy for the household and nursery.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a part in detail.

A A represent a hollow body, made of any suitable substance capable of floating on water, and containing and supporting the mechanism which gives motion to the arms and legs to propel the automaton through the water. This mechanism consists of clock-work, not shown in the accompanying drawing, to furnish motive power a disk, D, revolving on a shaft, 1), and provided with two studs, 12 I); a pair of levers, B 0, having a common center, a, and provided with segments d projectin g from their upper ends, as shown; a guide, 6, to prevent sidewise movement of the levers and springs a a to bring the levers together. The disk D is journaled perpendicularly above the pivot on on which the levers B 0 turn, and is provided on its area with studs 1) b near its circumference. These studs rotate between the levers, and as they come in contact with them throw them apart, the springs a a! returning them to their normal position when the studs resume their position in line with the figure. To the extremities of the segment ends of these levers, which protrude outside the shoulders of the figure, are attached the arms E F havingthe hands 0 d pivoted thereto in a manner to offer little resistance to-the water when the arms being drawn in preparatory to the out-stroke, and the greatest when they are thrust forward. To the lower ends h of these levers are attached the thigh pieces G H, and calves 6], to which latter is pivoted, in a like manner as the hands, the feet 9 9. Running perpendicularly through the body of the figure when it is in the water is a rod, 5, (see Fig. 3,) to the lower end of which, and just below the chest of the automaton, is attached a rudder, 70, while at its upper extremity it is provided with a small vane or flag, l, which serves to indicate. the situation of the swimmer at a distance. The rod or post of this rudder passes through cork or softwood,

which swells by moisture and clamps the rod sufficiently to keep the rudder in position. By means of this steering apparatus the automaton' can be made to swim in a circle, and thus start from any point and return to it.

The operation of the parts will be readily understood from the drawing, in which the broken lines indicate the position of the parts after the stroke has been made. On revolving the disk D the studs b b will alternately act on the levers B 0, and impart motion to the arms E F and legs G H attached to the levers, the springs a a returning the parts to their normal position. The limbs should be made of some light material so as to give buoyancy, and their different parts may be so weighted as to assume a natural position in the water.

I claim- As a new and improved article of manufacture, an automatic swimming human figure, constructed and operating substantially in the manner described.

ISAAC F. EATON. Witnesses:

A. D. DAVIS, E. H. JOHNSON. 

